My dear friend Randy Cummins came up with the name for me & I believe it fits perfectly! Positive Spin relates to hooping, poi or any of the flow arts, due to the massive amount of positivity that is generated by their practice & the obvious spinning that ensues. I also believe we can train our minds to creatively look for the positive in any past or present situation, to choose which aspects we focus on, & to appreciate the new ideas & new connections that are born from these situations.

How to make Large hoops!

*these hoops are slower & more stable**perfect for beginners, but great for everyone

Materials: Tubing: 100' 1" 100psi black roll from Lowe's ADS Plastic Coil Pipe. I recently ordered through the Lowe's app & shipping is free if you order more than $50. 1" insert couplings to connect the hoops, usually 8 needed per roll (they come in discount packs of 10). They are gray.Ratcheting pvc cutter (approx $15)

All the large hoops I make are approximate sizes. I initially used a tape measure to figure out where different heights line up on my body. For an exact size, multiply the desired height x pi (3.1416) & this will give you how many inches of tubing to cut. I marked different sizes on a piece of twine, which I now use to measure the tubing when I need an exact measurement.

The roll of black tubing will be tightly coiled. Unwrap the tubing & let it "breathe" by stretching it out a bit manually & leaving it for a few days or longer. This can make it easier to work with the tubing, but it's not totally necessary most of the time. I rarely have to do this, but some rolls of tubing are coiled tighter than others.

From one roll of tubing I can make 8 hoops---2 large hoops (approx 50" tall) & 6 medium-large hoops (40"-45" are what I usually make). Hoops even larger than that can be fun, but for hoops smaller than 40" I would recommend switching to thinner tubing.

Find the end of the roll that is more loosely open...make the 2 large hoops first, then the other 6. Or all 8 can be made in the medium-large size, it's just best to make them in order from larger to smaller. I usually make all 8 hoops at the same time, but you don't have to. If you want to leave the rest of the tubing intact until you know what size you need, just tape the ends of the tubing to the roll so they don't straighten out too much.

Cut off the end part of the tubing if it has straightened out, often 1'-2'.Cut the tubing to the desired length.Place one end of the cut tubing into a pan of lightly boiling water for approx 20 seconds.Wipe dry with a paper towel & insert connector halfway.Repeat on the other end & you'll have a hoop!

*Tape is still necessary to add weight & texture (so the tubing doesn't slide right off of you!) Hoopologie.com is where I get most of my tape, but Hoopsupplies.com has some different ones & there are many other suppliers out there.

*I tend to use fancy tape first (sequin, mirror, prismatic, glitter, color-shifting...so many options!), then I tape over the edges of that tape with gaffer tape (for grip & to protect the nicer tape).

*If you use electrical tape or another thick tape, you shouldn't cover all the tubing or the hoop can become too heavy.

*You can use duct tape for simple taping & it has natural grip.

Good luck! Please contact me if you have any questions!

Kim Eitze

I’m a native of Austin, TX…South Austin to be more specific! I started doing henna professionally in 1997, then began teaching poi (fire dancing) in 1998. I added hula hoop instruction in 2006 & that is my obsession. I love to teach beginners, but I can help anyone with their flow!